Why are black children missing from the grammar school debate?

In The Guardian Remi Joseph-Salisbury, Senior lecturer at Carnegie School of Education, Leeds Beckett University explains that expanding grammar schools will only deepen racial inequalities in our society – and leave more black students behind.

So what should we be looking for instead? In stark contrast to the Conservatives, the Labour party has pledged to invest £25bn in a new National Education Service “open to all”. This would see a reversal of the school funding cuts, as well as a reduction in class sizes. Given the links between nutrition and attainment, the promise of free school meals for all primary school pupils could be of real benefit to those black children within less wealthy communities.

Of course, there needs to be much more targeted anti-racist work in education from all political parties, and any government would have a lot of work to do. Our politicians must listen to researchers, campaigners, black parents and communities.

The current system has many characteristics that stop black students achieving, but perhaps none are quite as damning as the plans to reintroduce grammar schools at large. If May wants to strengthen our school system, she might start by looking to improve the conditions in our failing schools rather than pursuing an unhelpful vanity project.

Do you agree with Remi Joseph-Salisbury? What can be done to get more black children into Grammar schools? Please tell us your thoughts in comments or via Twitter ~ Tamsin

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